Carton aligning mechanism for conveyor

ABSTRACT

The specification discloses an apparatus for closing and stapling cartons of varying sizes of the type having a pair of end flaps and a pair of side flaps, which when opened are disposed in a coplanar relationship with respect to the sidewalls of the carton, the dimensions of the flaps measured in the direction of the outward extent thereof being generally equal to one-half the width of the carton. The apparatus includes means for automatically feeding successive open-topped cartons of varying size through the apparatus, during which a flap closing mechanism is operable to close the open top flaps and a staple driving means is operable to drive staples into the closed top flaps to secure them in a closed relation. The staple driving means cooperates with the conveying means for moving successive cartons through the apparatus and with a carton width sensing means to automatically position the carton in stopped relation with respect to the staple driving means in a plurality of different positions at which staples are driven, the arrangement being operable to automatically drive staples into the side flaps and the underlying end flaps only of each successive carton at positions spaced longitudinally in accordance with the width of the carton, the staples associated with each end flap being spaced apart a distance not exceeding a predetermined distance and at least one of which is within approximately 1 inch from the adjacent end of the carton.

United States Patent Inventors Appl. No.

Filed Patented Assignee llenrl A. Bouhy West Warwick:

Joseph Silva, Crlnston, both of, RJ. 877,545

Nov. 20, 1969 Division ofSer. No. 600,163 Dec. 8.1966. Pat. No. 3,502,256

July 27, I971 Boetltch Divldou ol Textron, lite.

East Greenwich, RJ.

CARTON ALIGNING MECHANISM FOR Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby Assistant Examiner-Alfred N. Goodman Attorney-Cushman, Darby & Cushman ABSTRACT: The specification discloses an apparatus for closing and stapling cartons of varying sizes of the type having a pair of end flaps and a pair of side flaps, which when opened are disposed in a coplanar relationship with respect to the sidewalls of the carton, the dimensions of the flaps measured in the direction of the outward extent thereof being generally equal to one-half the width of the carton. The apparatus includes means for automatically feeding successive opentopped cartons of varying size through the apparatus, during which a flap closing mechanism is operable to close the open top flaps and a staple driving means is operable to drive staples into the closed top flaps to secure them in a closed relation. The staple driving means cooperates with the conveying means for moving successive cartons through the apparatus and with a carton width sensing means to automatically position the carton in stopped relation with respect to the staple driving means in a plurality of different positions at which staples are driven, the arrangement being operable to automatically drive staples into the side flaps and the underlying end flaps only of each successive carton at positions spaced longitudinally in accordance with the width of the carton, the staples associated with each end flap being spaced apart a distance not exceeding a predetermined distance and at least 2,7Bl,ll9 2/l957 Talbot et al 198/33 X one ot'which is within approximately 1 inch from the adjacent 2,894,262 7/1959 Schafroth 198/29X end ofthe carton.

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ATTORNEY? CARTON ALIGNING MECHANISM FOR CONVEYOR This is a division of application Ser. No. 600,!63, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,256 filed Dec. 8, i966.

This invention relates to container closing and scaling machines and more particularly to apparatus for automatically closing the flaps of successive cartons of various sizes and sealing the flaps in closed relation with fasteners, such as staples or the like.

In the packaging industry, fiberboard cartons have been used for many years and various machines have been developed which are capable of closing the flaps ol' the carton after the carton has been filled and of sealing the carton either by gluing the flaps, taping the flaps, or by stapling or otherwise providing mechanical fasteners to maintain the flaps in closed relation.

When dealing with standard fiberboard cartons of the type including side flaps which, when folded into closed relation, meet or substantially meet along their free edges in a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the carton, it is important to provide staples which bridge the free edges of the side flaps and extend within or through the end flaps disposed therebelow. Depending upon the length of the carton, there may be a substantial gap between the free edges of the end flaps and within the area of this gap no staples are required as they are considered to be ineffective in securing the carton in closed relation.

Machines which are capable of automatically accommodating any size carton of the abovementioned standard type within a predetermined range which are fed thereto have been proposed. Such machines conventionally include a carton conveying mechanism which is capable of receiving filled open cartons and conveying them to a stapling station during which movement the open top flaps are closed. Such prior art machines embody means for automatically accomplishing a stapling cycle which may include stopping the conveying mechanism when the carton is at a first stapling position, actuating the stapling heads while the carton is stopped, and then restarting the conveying mechanism. The stapling cycle is then automatically repeated at predetermined stapling positions.

In the machines heretofore proposed, the stapling positions at which the staples are driven into the end flaps of the carton are determined by means engageable with the leading end and trailing end of the carton at predetermined fixed positions of movement. Consequently, with this arrangement the positions of the staples in the end flaps are fixed and cannot be automatically varied to accommodate variations in the size of the end flaps of the cartons fed to the machine. Where the cartons to be sealed are intermixed as to size, this lack of automatic accommodation introduces considerable down time for manual adjustment, materially reducing the efficiency of the machine.

The Uniform Freight Classification Code includes quite exacting specifications as to the positions of staples in the end flaps of a carton to obtain an approvable securement. For example, the code specifies that staples must be positioned within the end flaps at each end of the carton within an approximate l inch maximum distance, and that the maximum spacing between adjacent staples within each end flap must not exceed inches. Moreover, it is desirable to position staples in the end flaps adjacent their free edges, as, for example, within a spacing of a maximum of approximately 1 inch from the free edge.

It can thus be seen that these optimum and required conditions as to the positioning of the staples in the end flaps cannot be obtained in a wide range of varying box size widths by simply fixing the spacing between the stapling positions for each end flap as it the case with prior art machines. For example, if the machine is set up to drive two staples at two fixed positions; one, approximately 1 inch from the end, and the second approximately 2 inches from the first, it can be seen that as the size of the end flap increases a substantial area adjacent the free edge of each end flap will remain unstapled. A 12 inch end flap would have no staple within the area 9 inches from its free edge and this condition would increase as the size of the end flap increases. Attempts to alleviate this condition by reducing the fixed distance between adjacent staples to thereby compensate for the larger cartons invariably lead to the utilization of more staples than necessary, thus materially increasing the staple costs and the time required to effect the stapling operations. Consequently, the machines of the prior art are either severely limited in the size range of the cartons which can be accommodated or overcompensate in order to provide sufficient staples to accommodate a greater range thereby decreasing efficiency as to the optimum number of staples used and the time required to effect the stapling operatron.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a machine for automatically stapling the flaps of a carton in closed relation having means for automatically varying the position at which the staples are secured within the end flaps of the carton to accommodate variations in the end flap size of the cartons fed to the machine.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, this object is accomplished by initially sensing or measuring the width size of the box fed to the machine and of varying the location of the means which determines the position at which the staples are driven into the carton in accordance with the width of the carton measured or sensed. Standard cartons are such that the extent of the end flaps in the longitudinal direction with respect to the carton when in closed condition is equal to one-half of the width of the carton, since this dimension of the end flaps is equal to the transverse extent of when and this dimension of the side flaps is substantially onehalf of the width. Consequently, by measuring the width of the box the longitudinal extent of the end flaps when closed can likewise be determined and the positions of the staples varied accordingly. Thus, a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention embodying such capability will accommodate cartons which vary in size within a greater range than the range which prior art machines can accommodate while at the same time insuring the proper positioning of an adequate number of staples in accordance with acceptable requirements.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention the variation in the positions within which the staples are driven is generally proportionate to the width of the carton. It will be noted, however, that in accommodating end flap sizes within a range of, for example, 3 inches to l2 inches, if three staples are provided in each 12 inch end flap with a spacing between adjacent staples of 5 inches, the spacing between staples in a 3 inch end flap would be less than 1 inch if a strict width proportion spacing were adhered to. Thus, where the variation is strictly adhered to in proportion to the width of the carton, one of two conditions would exist, first, in the lower size ranges, more staples would be utilized than required, or two, in the upper size ranges less staples than required would be utilized. In accordance with the principles of the invention, the optimum desired number of staples is automatically determined to be utilized in accordance with the measured width of the carton fed thereto.

Accordingly, it is a further object of the present invention to provide a machine of the type described having means for varying the number of positions at which staples are driven into the end flaps of the carton in accordance with the measured width of the carton fed thereto.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a machine of the type described having means manually operable for selectively rendering the machine capable of driving only a single staple into each end flap of the carton ad jacent each end of the carton. While the machine of the present invention is thus capable of automatically accommodating a wide range of carton width sizes and automatically driving staples into the end flaps thereof of an optimum number and of optimum spacing to meet Uniform Freight Classification Oode requirements. in some instances particularly with small width canons where only a minimum closure of the canon is desired, or where the cartons to be closed are not subject to subsequent freight regulations, it is desirable to maintain the top and bottom flaps in closed relation simply by the utilization of two staples in the top and bottom respectively positioned adjacent each end of the carton.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a machine of the type described having means operable in response to manual selection for rendering the machine capable of driving only a single staple into each end flap.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a canon closing and sealing machine of the type described in which variations in the height size of the cartons fed thereto are accommodated independently at the flap folding station and at the stapling station, the flap folding mechanism being normally disposed in a lowermost position and movable into operative position to accommodate the particular height size of the carton fed thereto by movement of the carton into engagement with the flap folding mechanism by the conveying mechanism of the machine, the top stapling mechanism of the machine being normally disposed in an uppermost position and movable downwardly into an operative position to accommodate the particular height size of the carton fed thereto in response to the engagement of the stapling mechanism with the carton during its downward movement.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a flap folding mechanism of the type described useful in carton sealing machines of the gluing and taping type, as well as the stapling type, which embodies a power-driven endless belt having an operative flight extending downwardly and in the direction of carton movement at a lowermost initial position so as to engage the upper leading end of the carton and the leading end flap extending thereabove during the movement of the carton by the conveying mechanism so that during the subsequent movement of the carton afier engagement, the leading end flap will be folded by the operative flight by the belt into closed position and the operative flight of the belt will be moved through engagement of the upper end of the carton therewith during its movement into a rear flap folding position wherein the entire belt is disposed above the upper leading end of the carton and means for actuating the belt to drive the operative flight in a direction downwardly and in the direction of carton movement at a speed greater than the speed of carton movement so as to effect the inward closing of the trailing end flap during the movement of the carton by the conveying mechanism.

Still another object the present invention is the provision of a top flap stapling mechanism of the type described having improved means for effecting downward movement of the mechanism from an initial position toward the top of a carton disposed therebelow, and improved means for stopping the downward movement of the mechanism in response to the engagement of the mechanism with the top of the carton.

The machine of the present invention embodies a pair of transversely spaced conveying mechanisms for effecting the movement of successive cartons through the machine. The conveying mechanisms each comprise endless belt assemblies which are movable toward each other from an initial position to engage the sides of a carton fed to the machine and to convey such carton through the machine. Where two opposed live belts are utilized to positively move the carton through the machine, it is important to insure that each successive carton will be properly oriented with respect to the inwardly moving live belts, otherwise the vertical walls of the carton may be distorted in the manner of a parallelogram resulting in the securement of the flaps thereto in a relationship which maintains the distorted configuration of the vertical walls.

When dealing with cartons which vary in size it is not always possible to insure that successive cartons will be delivered to the machine in proper oriented relation. For example, if the carton is fed to the machine with its longitudinal axis at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the machine it is necessary to orient the carton so that both longitudinal axes are in alignment prior to the movement of the carton through the machine, otherwise the condition mentioned above will take place. The conveying action of a pair of carton side engaging belt assemblies is dependent upon a tight frictional engagement between the belts and the sides of the canon and consequently, orientation of the carton after the belts have contacted the carton becomes a somewhat difficult operation since such orientation requires relative movement between the carton and the carton engaging surfaces of the belts.

Accordingly, it is a still further object of the present invention to provide conveying mechanism of the type described having improved means for alleviating the driving frictional contact between the belt assemblies and the carton during the initial engagement of the belt assemblies with the carton as they move inwardly so as to cause the cartons to assume a properly oriented relation between the belt assemblies during their subsequent movement through the machine.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the course of the following detailed description and appended claims.

The invention may best be understood with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein an illustrative embodiment is shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a carton closing and stapling machine embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevational view of the discharge end of the machine;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the carton receiving end of the conveying mechanism of the machine, illustrating the manner in which the carton orienting mechanism operates;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the flap folding mechanism of the machine;

FIG. I0 is a side elevational view of the flap folding mechanism, showing the same in its normal inoperative or lowermost position;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 showing the flap folding mechanism in its operative rear flap folding or raised position;

FIG. I2 is a side elevational view of the top stapling mechanism;

FIG. 13 is a schematic view illustrating the pneumatic circuit of the machine;

FIG. 14 is a schematic view illustrating the electrical circuit of the machine;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the mechanism varying the position at which the staples are driven into the rear or trailing end flap of the carton;

FIG. I6 is a sectional view taken along the line 16-16 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 17-17 0 fFIG. 15',

FIGS. 18 through 23 are schematic top plan views illustrating various functions applied to the carton during its movement through the machine.

along the line along the line GENERAL CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF THE MACHINE Referring now more particularly to FIGS. I4 of the drawings, there is shown therein a machine or apparatus, generally indicated at I0, embodying the principles of the present invention. In general, the machine includes a horizon- 

1. Apparatus for conveying cartons of varying sizes comprising an elongated frame having a receiving end and discharging end, carton supporting means carried by said frame in generally horizontally extending relation between the said frame ends for supporting successive cartons for movement thereover, a pair of endless belt assemblies having opposed parallel carton engaging flights extending longitudinally between said frame ends, means mounting said endless belt assemblies above carton supporting means for parallel movement of said flights toward and away from each other between on outward carton receiving position and an inward limiting position, power operated means for effecting movement of said belt assemblies from said outward carton receiving position toward said inward limiting position to engage a carton therebetween supported on said carton supporting means adjacent the receiving end of said frame and for effecting movement of said belt assemblies from their position of engagement with the carton to said carton receiving position to release a carton supported by said carton supporting means adjacent the discharging end of said frame, and carton orienting means carried by said belt assemblies in a position disposed inwardly of the carton engaging flights thereof adjacent the receiving end of said frame operable to initially engage the sides of a carton supported on said carton supporting means therebetween during the inward movement of said belt assemblies from said outward carton receiving position and to effect movement of a carton engaged thereby which is disposed out of longitudinal alignment with said belt assemblies into longitudinal alignment therewith while yielding permitting relative inward movement of said belt assemblies with respect theReto after said initial engagement so as to insure that the carton will be in longitudinal alignment with the operative flights of said belt assemblies when moved longitudinally away from the receiving end of said frame by driving engagement of said operative flights with the sides thereof.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said carton orienting means comprises an elongated carton side engaging member for each belt assembly, means mounting each of said carton side engaging members between the operative flight of the associated belt assembly and said carton supporting means for transverse movement between a first position disposed inwardly of the associated operative flight and a second position disposed outwardly thereof, and spring means resiliently biasing each of said carton side engaging member into said first position with a force sufficient to move at least most of the cartons engaged thereby without substantially yielding but which is less than the force of said power operated means moving said belt assemblies inwardly. 